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Profil

Kari has extensive international experience in building businesses and managing global commercial, legal, and compliance risks and is the Global Co-head of the FinTech group. For almost 20 years, Kari has represented clients in US and EU regulatory, legislative, risk management, compliance, internal control and transactional matters related to exchange and over-the-counter commodities, options, and derivatives markets, with a particular focus on cryptocurrencies, digital assets, energy, agricultural and environmental commodities. She is considered a leading strategic advisor to businesses regarding the development of profitable inventive products, including FinTech and RegTech innovations, while navigating complex regulatory regimes.

A seasoned public policy analyst with extensive regulatory and government relations experience, Kari has particular experience assisting clients in their interactions with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and advising clients on the implications of the Dodd-Frank Act, EMIR, MiFID I and II/MiFIR, MAD/MAR, and other matters related to US, UK and EU commodities law and regulation. She has advised clients in connection with futures exchange trading and clearing issues and rule compliance, commodity trading agreements, transactions involving the acquisition and disposal of energy and non-energy commodity portfolios, assets and businesses, structured transactions, and the purchase and sale or transportation of commodities.

Kari has been at the forefront of legal developments in financial technology since before the term FinTech was coined, having served in general counsel and chief compliance officer roles for international startup exchanges prior to joining Reed Smith. Kari advises FinTech and digital business clients on federal and state regulatory and compliance matters, including, privacy, data and cyber security, information governance, anti-money laundering, Bank Secrecy Act and Know-Your-Customer matters, vendor management, consumer protection and contract drafting and negotiations. Prior to entering private practice, Kari was international operations counsel for the Enforcement Division of the CFTC. Combining her in-house and regulator experience, Kari has been a pioneer in RegTech legal developments advising financial services firms and other regulated entities on how to utilize innovations such as digital ledger technology to streamline regulatory compliance and improve operational efficiencies. She is regularly invited to speak at FinTech conferences regarding RegTech, digital currency and blockchain solutions in particular.